1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a medical treatment apparatus for exposing a tumor mass and, more particularly, to a medical treatment apparatus that applies heat to the skin so that the skin may be gradually collapsed without incision and thereby a tumor mass beneath the skin may be exposed to the outside and allowed to be removed.
2. Description of the Related Art
A tumor is an abnormal growth caused by the uncontrolled division of cells. A tumor may be visible or palpated on the skin or protrude outward from the body.
Benign tumors do not have the potential to spread to other parts of the body (i.e., a process called metastasis) and are curable by surgical removal. Malignant or cancerous tumors, however, may metastasize to other parts of the body and will ultimately result in death if not successfully treated by surgery and/or other methods.
Surgical removal is one of well known ways of treating tumors. Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and biological therapy are other treatment options. Because benign tumors do not have the potential to metastasize, they are often treated successfully with surgical removal alone. Malignant tumors, however, are most often treated with a combination of surgery and chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy.
Unfortunately, surgery requires a complex and sophisticated process such as anesthesia, incision of the skin, tumor removal, and closure of the skin. Additionally, other tumor treatment options may often give rise to various side effects such as vomiting, nausea, loss of hair, diarrhea, anorexia, and the like.